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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-07-12, Page 66 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, July 12, 2006 Opinion Forum News Seniors' perspective Continued from page 5 How do Women Count in Rural Communities? Women in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth Counties are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, wives, partners, sisters and daughters, volunteers, neighbours, friends and workers in our rural community. Women care for children, family, and their friends. They clean and cook, do the laundry and get their families off to school and work. Many women work in the home and at a paid job. They get together to fundraise for hockey teams and go door to door to raise money for cancer or heart and stroke and many more. Many women work at jobs where they care for others, or organize others so work gets done. Some women work in trades, on farms and as professionals. A smaller number are community leaders or run busi- nesses. Often women are not counted or valued equal- ly for their paid or unpaid work. Their contribution to their families and communities may not be recognized because it is considered "women's work". Poverty does not diminish the importance or the value of women's contributions to their families and communities, but it does make their lives much more difficult. Many women in this project said they feel as if they don't count because they are poor. "It's as if we don't count, as our children don't count." "If you are poor, you are nothing." Huron -Bruce MP opposed dropping EnerGuide program: Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle objected to the Conservative government's decision to eliminate sev- eral environmental programs, including the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive Program. However, the decision went ahead anyway, dispens- ing with not only the Energuide program, but with the High -Efficiency Home Heating System Cost Relief Program and the Energuide for Low-income Household Program, effective May 13. An E-mail was sent by Gary Lunn; the natural resources minister to all parliamentarians on May 26 the government wants to develop a "Made in Canada" plan to ensure future generations enjoy clean air, clean water, clean land and clean energy. It plans to develop solutions that involve the provinces, territo- ries, stakeholders, the private sector and individuals. As of May 13, the federal government is no longer accepting new applications under the Energuide retrofit program. However, homeowners who received a retrofit energy evaluation before May 13 are still eli- gible to receive a federal grant for their home improvements. They have until March 31, 2007, to complete their renovations and receive a post -retrofit energy evaluation to determine their eligibility for a grant. Mushrooms Can Keep Bones Strong: Rising obesity rates among both adults and children have understandably left many people more health conscious and in search of ways to eat healthier. Recent discoveries suggest a way to do just that is increasing mushroom consumption. While mushrooms have long been known for being low in fat and few calories, preliminary research by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that mushrooms briefly exposed to ultraviolet light can be a great source of vitamin D, a vitamin known for keeping bones strong and fighting disease. There are foods that contain Vitamin D, but none as appetizing as mushrooms. Mayonnaise Jar & 2 Cups of Coffee: When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough to cope, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large and empty mayon- naise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. Next, the professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "YES." The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now" said the pro- fessor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recog- nize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends and favourite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house and car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. "If you put the sand in the jar first," he continued, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. So...Pay attention to the things that are critical. CaII Police ImmediatelyWhen a Suspicious Person is seen: OPP are reminding residents to immediately call police when they encounter suspicious persons. Daylight break and enter criminals often knock on front doors of residences to see if anyone is home. If the door is answered, the criminals often make up a story that they are trying to find someone who lives in the area. If this scenario happens to you, please note the description of the person and the vehicle they are dri- ving including the license plate number, if possible, and immediately call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 Gardeners' Quotes: "I have 110 plants in my house. They won't live for me. Some of them don't even wait to die, they commit suicide." Jerry Seinfeld "A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows." Doug Larson "My wife's a water sign. I'm an earth sign. Together we make mud." Rodney Dangerfield "God made rainy days, so gardeners could get the housework done and my mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it." Buddy Hackett "Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration." Lou Erickson "What is a Honeymoon Salad? Lettuce alone, with no dressing!" "A man should never plant a garden larger than his wife can take care of." T.H. Everett Remember, if you ate today thank a farmer Exeter a great place Dear Exeter community: What a great place to live — be proud of it. There are so many reasons to love this town, yet sometimes it is easy to find reasons not to. But trust us when it comes down to appreciating small towns, Exeter has been great. We moved to Exeter four years ago and before Exeter we spent exactly four years living in St. Marys. Now after eight years and two more children, we are return- ing to our home town of Chatham. They say that St. Marys is the 'Town Worth Living In' and our family all believe that Exeter should have that same slogan. They say it's hard to fit into small towns but we are now leaving behind a great bunch of friends, whom I know we will keep in contact with. When we first arrived in Exeter we were the new family on the block. We had some friends in St. Marys, but all our family and friends were quite a distance away. Then we became involved with the Ringette Association and because of this great sport, our three daughters have made some lifetime friends and so have their parents. Our son became involved with Minor Ball here in town and also in hockey and there also friend- ships were formed. We will miss this small town feeling, from the merchants downtown recognizing you when you come in the door, to 'take it home and try it out ... let me know how it works out' — only in a small trusting community. Our children all loved their school commu- nity at Precious Blood and will miss all their school friends. To the Times -Advocate — the kids have been in the hometown paper so many times and are always so excited to make the weekly edition. Chatham is our hometown, but for our kids, they will always call Exeter `home.' Thanks for the memories, everyone! THE CHANDLER FAMILY OF SNIDER CRESCENT, EXETER Tory keeps promise This past Wednesday, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory demonstrat- ed that some politicians do keep their promises. During his recent tour of Southwestern Ontario, Mr. Tory kept a commitment he made to me a year ago that he would visit Huron Industrial Park. Mr. Tory was impressed by the quality of businesses which operate in Huron Park. As such, he stressed the need for business retention in rural etters to Editor itor Ontario. It is my hope that Mr. Tory's lead will "inspire" Premier McGuinty to visit Huron Industrial Park at his earliest convenience. (WALLY) PETER FYDENCHUK, Crediton Eight keys to employability EXETER — When busy employers narrow down applicants for a job, they may use the `Eight Keys to Employability' as a screening tool. These eight keys help employers remain equitable while hir- ing the best candidate for the job. To better your chances of finding a job, show potential employers that you have the `Eight Keys to Employability.' 1. Personal values: Employers want workers who demonstrate a positive attitude and are motivated, honest and goal -oriented. Project a positive self-image to employers and demonstrate you are willing to reach beyond personal limita- tions. 2. Problem -solving and decision-making skills: Employers in all industries want employees who are flexible, creative, innovative and are able to reason and make objective judgments. 3. Ability to relate with other people: Employers want friendly, co-operative team members who can demonstrate leadership quali- ties. Respect is an important aspect of this key. 4. Communication skills: Companies are look- ing for good listeners who can express themselves clearly to clients and co-workers and are not afraid to ask for help when necessary. 5. Task -related skills: This includes completing work on time, caring for tools and materials, following directions and sticking with tasks until completion. 6. Maturity: Employers are looking for reliable, dependable and responsible individuals. If you take pride in your work and are willing to invest enough time and effort to get your job done with little or no supervision, you display the necessary level of maturity for success. 7. Health and safety habits: Employers will hire people who dress appropriately and practice good personal hygiene and who observe and respect rules and guidelines dealing with safety issues. 8. Commitment to the job: You should show employers you are enthusiastic and will continue to learn and grow in your job. Commitment to the job includes punctuality and consistency of work and effort. To show employers you have the right skills for the job, focus your resume to demonstrate the `Eight Keys to Employability.' When preparing for an interview, remember examples of times when you demonstrated the skills identified in these keys. If you would like help with your resume or interview skills, call the Exeter Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY) at 235- 1711 to book a one-to-one appointment. A summer employment officer is at the Exeter SCCY on Wednesdays. For assis- tance the rest of the week, contact the Goderich SCCY by calling 1-800-265- 5185, ext. 232, or 524-8342, ext. 232. To find more information about youth employment, check out youth.gc.ca A summer job, an experience for life! TOM PETTI SUMMER EMPLOYM OFFICER GREW ENT